What to Look For in a Data Recovery Vendor

Information on how to select your data recovery service provider.

You depend on your data. So when you experience a data loss, it is important to make an informed decision and select a trusted data recovery specialist that you can depend on to send your storage media and valuable data.

A quick search of the internet can reveal countless organizations which boast of being able to recover data from tapes, hard drives, RAID arrays, and other storage devices. Computer stores and service integrators may also offer basic data recovery services utilizing off-the-shelf software which can recover your personal photographs and documents from your laptop’s or personal computer’s hard drive. However, if the data you cannot access is priceless and irreplaceable or is critical to your livelihood and your business continuity depends on that data, consider the following:

Established firms bring expertise and experience to the table.

With experience comes reputation.

A global presence that commands a global reputation.

Independence.

Don’t let price influence your decision.

Evaluation Fees.

Availability.

Size doesn’t matter

Customers keep coming back.

Beware of companies promoting a 100% recovery rate.

1) Established firms bring expertise and experience to the table.
In the data recovery business, every job is unique. Hence, established firms have a wealth of experience gathered over the years to assist personnel to overcome logical and physical challenges that each job presents, especially those submitted by inexperienced data recovery firms.

Since 1993, CBL Data Recovery has provided professional data recovery services to consumer and enterprise clients and has built a global network of laboratories and customer service centers where trained personnel utilize proprietary techniques and process to recover data.

2) With experience comes reputation.
An experienced firm not only brings to the table expertise, but industry and thought leadership. The company to which media turn not only for interviews, but for data recovery when data loss disaster strikes them, speaks volumes if not gigabytes or terabytes.

CBL Data Recovery has gained a formidable reputation for providing customers from all sectors of the economy with professional data recovery services and going beyond the call of duty when customers face the potential loss of mission critical data.

3) A global presence that commands a global reputation.
An experienced data recovery service provider with an established global network of data recovery laboratories, customer service centers and partners is committed and equipped to come to the rescue of customers when data loss disaster strikes whether they are at home or traveling abroad.

4) Independence.
With the evolution of technology and the growing popularity of the Open Source community, consumers should not be limited to dealing with one source for their hardware, software and service needs. An independent data recovery firm is not handcuffed to one platform or operating system. An independent data recovery firm offers an affordable and cost effective alternative to the storage medium’s manufacturer for consumers.

CBL Data Recovery is the leading independent data recovery expert. CBL’s sole focus is data recovery. CBL can recover data from any platform and its proprietary techniques and processes are also operating system independent.

5) Don’t let price influence your decision.
An inexperienced firm may quote low just to secure your business, but will they actually get your data back? Some service outlets may provide a flat rate fee or low quotes simply to increase the number of units in per day with the hopes of receiving a couple “easy” projects. Out of 10 projects received, they may only see 1 or 2 which can be effectively recovered for their quoted costs. What happens to the 8 or 9 other projects?

With over 20 years experience, CBL Data Recovery will advise customers a range for recovery of data, but not until the media is evaluated can we accurately provide a quote. CBL puts together a recovery plan to successfully retrieve data from each and every hard drive received.

6) Evaluation Fees.
Don’t be caught off guard with any surprises or hidden costs. A free evaluation should include an examination of the physical media by trained personnel, not a guesstimate by a representative on the telephone. A physician would not diagnose a patient over the telephone, and nor should a reputable data recovery firm provide a quote before first examining the affected storage device in the laboratory.

Before media is sent to the laboratory, the representative should ask a series of questions which shed some light on the steps leading up to the data loss as well as provide the data recovery firm with details on the data required.

Once the evaluation of the media is completed, will your data recovery services provider deliver a free quotation to recover your data?

7) Availability.
You’re shopping for a data recovery services company because you cannot access data. What about the data recovery company to which you’re considering sending your hard drive? Are personnel accessible? Is your data recovery service provider available only 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.?

The ability to speak with a representative around the clock, 24×7×365 days a year, rather than only having an option to leave a voice message, is a refreshing and welcomed alternative when you are facing the potential loss of mission critical data or priceless personal documents.

CBL client service representatives are available 24×7×365. You can also submit your job online and will receive a telephone call from a CBL representative.

CBL is empathetic to the emotions that individuals experience when they suffer a data loss disaster. We recognize that customers are anxious at the thought of losing mission critical data and important personal files. The last thing you want to hear is a pre-recorded message, a beep and “the tone” and then find yourself wondering “when will someone call me back.”

8) Size doesn’t matter.
Some companies will quote based on the volume of data to be recovered. Don’t let your data be held for ransom. Ask your data recovery service provider prospects if they charge based on the number and size of files to be recovered.

Reputable data recovery firms will not charge customers based on the size or volume of data recovered. A firm quote is determined by the work involved to recover your target data, whether it is one spreadsheet on a physically damaged hard drive that no longer is functional or two year’s financial records on a hard drive with a single read error.

CBL Data Recovery provides a firm quote to recover your data. If your job takes longer than our engineers have estimated due to physical challenges, you will not be invoiced more. CBL’s quote is firm.

In fact, if for some unforeseen circumstance your data cannot be successfully recovered, you do not pay. CBL’s “No Data, No Charge” service guarantee means you pay only for results.

9) Customers keep coming back.
Losing data isn’t something customers openly talk about, accept with their trusted data recovery specialist. Despite industry attempts to educate and inform the public how to prevent data loss, the unthinkable often happens and customers do require the services of a data recovery expert on more than one occasion. Does your data recovery firm promote data loss prevention?

Not only does CBL Data Recovery offer data loss prevention advice to readers of industry and business publications, the CBL Preferred Corporate Customer Program is available to organizations which frequently experience data loss. Complete details on the program can be found in our Partners Section .

10) Beware of companies promoting a 100% recovery rate.
There are numerous organizations which offer data recovery. Whether they use software out of a box or send it to a third party service provider, no company can claim a 100% recovery rate. Hard drives are fragile, mechanical devices. If the damage to the drive is too severe, the likelihood of a successful recovery is slim.

CBL Data Recovery works with customers to identify the data they need. If data is not recovered successfully, customers do not pay. CBL’s “No Data, No Charge” data recovery service guarantee means customers only pay for results.